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Bill’s Skwala Stonefly
Bill’s Skwala Stonefly
Tying Instructions
1.Attach the hook to the vise and lay a thread foundation from behind the eye to the bend of the hook. Cut a strip of 2mm black foam and trim the end round. Secure the foam to the top of the shank just behind the barb location perpendicularly. About 1/8′ of foam should extend to the rear of the tie down. Wrap forward with tight wraps to the 1/3 position and trim off the tag end of the foam. This is the egg sac.
2. Attach a black rooster saddle or cape hackle by the tip just in front of the foam egg sac. The hackle should be sized for the hook.
3. Apply some Golden Olive dubbing. I am using Senyo Laser Hair, Frank Carnazzo preferred Lite Brite.
4. Wrap a sparse body forward to the 3/4 position.
5. Next, palmer the hackle forward with about 5 wraps, securing the hackle with thread wraps at the end of the abdomen.
6. Trim the top hackles as we will be laying an underwing that will be close to the body.
7. You can also trim the bottom hackles so that the pattern lays deeper within the surface film. Note that the side hackles are left untrimmed for maximum floatation.
8. Cut a strip of 1/4 inch web wing and trim the strip with rounded wings and a tapered shape. The length of the underwing should be just beyong the egg sac and the bend of the hook.
9. Secure the underwing just in front of the abdomen to the top of the hook shank.
10. Clip a bundle of Olive Dyed Deer Hair and even the tips within a hair stacker. The amount of hairs should equal the hook gap.
11. Measure the hairs so that they are the same length as the underwing and secure with tight thread wraps to the top of the hook shank just in front of the abdomen.
12. Trim off the tag ends at an angle and place a few wraps that are looser behind the tight wraps to lay down the hairs or decreasing the flare.
13. Apply thread wraps to hold down all of the trimmed tag ends of the hair and tie in a pair of legs with x wraps to the top of the hook shank in front of the hair wing.
14. Next, attach another hackle just in front of the wing with the dull side facing the front. Select a hackle that is one size smaller that the hook since the hackle will be wrapped around a dubbed thorax.
15. Apply the dubbing to create a tapered thorax to just behind the eye.
16. Palmer the hackle about five times to the front of the thorax, securing the hackle with thread wraps behind the eye.
17. Wrap a small head and whip finish. Trim the legs to suit and apply a drop of head cement just behind the eye.
| Materials
to Order Material, click the link |
|
|---|---|
| Hook | Daiichi 1260, #10 or Daiichi 1270, #10 |
| Thread | Veevus Olive 10/0 |
| Body | Golden Olive Laser Hair Dubbing |
| Egg Sack | 2mm Black Foam |
| Underwing | Mottled Medium Dun Web Wing |
| Wing | Olive Dyed Deer Hair |
| Legs | Black Barred Grizzly Flutter Legs |
| Hackle | Black Rooster Cape Hackle |
Bill Carnazzo
Bill’s Skwala Stonefly
Bill’s Skwala Stonefly is a pattern designed by the late Bill Carnazzo, a guide of West Slope Sierran Streams. He was one of those passionate fly fishers who volunteered his time to teach fly fishing. Bill taught a class on fly fishing at Sierra College and was a fixture at Kienes Fly Shop for many years. Bill was also one of the founders of Granite Bay Flycasters.
Influenced by Ralph Wood
His Skwala stonefly is based on a pattern that another Sierran fly fisher, Ralph Wood, designed and Bill added his own modifications. Bill recognized two qualities that the Skwala Stone must have: 1) Sparsely tied fly and 2) a Yellowish Olive color on the underside with a dark olive color on the back.
Skwala Life Cycle
The Skwala Stonefly, also called Large Springfly or Short-Winged Springfly, emerge early in the year, mid January, latest end of February, if the winter is colder. Interesting fact about them is that they emerge privately, hidden in crevices of stones, instead of out in the open, like other stoneflies. Most fisherman notice them only when they start their mating flights. Their egg-depositing is also specific as they prefer warmest parts of the day, mostly afternoons and when the water is calm.
Skwalas tend to float long distances without being noticed on the surface of the water, partly due to their calm behavior (they do not flutter their wings as their cousins), and partly due to their dark coloring. Their preference for warmer, calmer waters, combined with their early winter activity, causes their numbers to decrease after harsh and long winters and increase following warmer ones. Skwala patterns range in size from #8 to #12.